Close Call Before Decking the Halls
by MedicWarrickLvr
Summary: CSI Secret Santa Fic challenge. GrissomCath pairing. Finishing a case before the work Christmas party provides to be a little scary and makes Christmas miracles a little more real. New for me, since I don't usually ship these characters. It was fun! Read


_Title_: Close Call Before Decking the Halls

_For_: pure joy

_Summary:_ Finishing a case before the work Christmas party provides to be a little scary and makes Christmas miracles a little more real.

_Rating _: PG

_Author's Notes: _ I've never shipped these characters before and this was totally new. I hope I did the romance justice! I had a good time with it and had fun doing it. I could even almost see them together by the time I finished! That's scary! HA HA

_**Close Call Before Decking the Halls**_

Grissom walks into the office and wonders what the day will bring. It seems like he just left even though it was about four hours ago that he went home and showered. Today is supposed to be the Christmas party, but there are so many open cases and Ecklie is being his normal scrooged self so Gris isn't sure how much partying they will get done! He is thinking to himself that he won't mind. All the hoop-la isn't really his thing either. He walks into his office and hears Christmas music blaring. He looks around thinking that it MUST be coming from a different room and as he gets closer to his desk, he realizes that it's his computer. He hears someone say, "How do ya like the music, Grissom?" behind him and turns around with a frown to see Greg in a most ridiculous looking Santa hat.

Greg's grin spreads a mile wide. "Grissom, you look like Scrooge. It's Christmas time! Put a smile on your face and have some egg nog!" Grissom snorts and replies, "What did you put in the egg nog Greg?" Greg laughs and shakes his head. "Nothing! I still have to work. I just love Christmas and I get excited!" Grissom rolls his eyes and walks around his desk. "I would have never guessed," he mutters. Grissom sits down and finally manages to get the music cut off from his computer. Greg says, "Heyyyyyyyy. You didn't like my Christmas music?" Grissom replies, "Not blaring from my office, but thanks for the effort." He says, his voice dripping in sarcasm.

Nick and Warrick walk in and both try to hide their grins at Greg's Santa hat. They get their assignments from Grissom and tell him that they will try to wrap up the processing and have evidence back at the lab by the time the party starts in the afternoon. Catherine walks in as the other two leave. "Nice hat, Greg." Catherine says, grinning at Grissom. Grissom rolls his eyes at her and continues to read the file on his desk. Cath sits down and Greg comes in and joins them.

"Brass just called and they brought me this file. They've found a body of a young girl near the river's edge. It looks like she may have been thrown from the top of the bridge. I think it will take all 4 of us to process this scene and get back here by the afternoon. Sara will be joining us there in about an hour. She's going by to pay the caterer for the party since it is on her way in." Grissom tells them. Greg jumps up and says, "Ok, let's go! Egg nog's a waitin' and I can't wait to see what you got me for Christmas Grissom!" Greg trots out of the office and Catherine laughs at Grissom's annoyed expression. "He's just excited Gil." She laughs. Grissom rolls his eyes again and says, "He's like a 10 year old kid."

_Chapter 2 **The River's Edge**_

Catherine and Sara are putting fibers in envelopes and removing trace evidence from the victim's clothing. Both of them are quiet because there is nothing easy about a dead 6 year old little girl. It appears that she was thrown from the top of the bridge, but was already dead. Greg was on the bridge gathering evidence from the area and Grissom walked down the edge of the river to see what he could find. They all work quietly for about an hour and Sara looks up when Greg yells at them.

"Have you guys seen Grissom? He hasn't come back yet and I thought he'd drive part of it." Greg shouted.

Catherine and Sara stand up and look down the river's edge. They don't see Grissom anywhere. Catherine shouts Grissom's name and they don't hear an answer. Sara looks really confused and looks to Catherine. Catherine punches in Gil's cell phone number and it goes straight to voice mail.

Catherine tries to still her heart. She knows that Gil has probably just found something and is focused on some bug or worm that could be evidence. She tries to remind herself of that when her heart just keeps beating faster. She just has this uneasy feeling and tried her best to not look alarmed. She motions for Greg to come down and tells Sara that when Greg gets down here, they will start walking down and see if they see Grissom.

"Where in the world could he be?" Sara muses. She shouts his name again, three times. Still no answer. Greg reaches the girls and they decide to put about 3 feet in between them and walk parallel down the bank to see if they can find Grissom or any sign of which direction he went in. Greg tries his cell phone again and then calls Nick and Warrick to be sure they haven't heard from him. Nick tells Greg that they are wrapping up and they will head over to help finish up this crime scene.

Catherine walks along the river's edge looking for any sign of Gil. She is beginning to get worried. They are each moving at a snail's pace because they don't want to miss anything. Catherine allows her mind to run rampant. They have no idea who the killer is and after what happened with Nick a few months ago, she knows that anything can happen. She yells for Gil again. She fights the tears that are threatening to spill. She and Gil have always been close, but lately he's been opening up and talking more and asking more about her. She realizes that it was only a week ago that she finally talked him into coming over for pizza and a movie with Lindsay and her. It was one of the best nights she'd had in a long time and she'd seen Gil smile more that night than she'd ever seen him. He'd even kissed her cheek and thanked her when he left. He hadn't mentioned a word since then, but she knows they've made a step forward from anywhere they have ever been. She quietly whispers a prayer that everything is OK.

She hears Sara's voice pulling her out of thought. "Cath…..Nick and Warrick are here and they are going to go around the high side of the river and Brass is sending a unit over and an ambulance just in case."

"In case of what?" Catherine says uneasily. "I don't know Cath, Brass just wants to be safe. Grissom has got to be here somewhere."

Catherine looks down at just that moment and her heart catches in her throat. "Sara, come here." Sara shouts to Greg and they both run over. Both of the CSI's stop dead in their tracks as they look down and see Grissom's flashlight on the ground. Catherine looks up the river and Greg grabs a bag and puts the light in there.

"Grissom never goes anywhere without his flashlight, " Greg says nervously. Catherine tries to get her heartbeat back to a normal rhythm and Sara calls Nick and Warrick. They all start scanning the exact area where they found the flashlight. They hear sirens and Warrick tells them he called Brass back and updated him. Jim Brass comes quickly down the hill and asks for an update. Catherine explains to him that they have found the light, but that is all. Brass tells them not to worry and that there has to be a good explanation. He reaches out to touch Nick's shoulder and Nick jumps sky high. They all stop and look at Nick. Nick is really pale and says quietly, "Let's just find him guys."

The team makes their way down the river bank and they see no footprints. Sara comments that the footprints stopped at the water where they found the light. They turn to go back and Catherine hears her name.

"Oh my God, that sounds like Gil." She says, not realizing she's said it out loud. They turn around and see Grissom walking toward them in the distance. He is soaking wet and has something in his hand. Catherine runs up to him and without event thinking, she puts her arms around him. He hugs her back and says quietly, "I'm wet Cath." She pulls back and says, "What I want to know is if you are OK."

About this time, the rest of the team gets there and questions fly from every direction at the same time.

Sara: Grissom, where the hell were you? Are you OK?

Brass: Are you hurt Gil?

Greg: Grissom, you are drenched! Are you OK?

Warrick: Gris, you alright man? You scared us.

Nick is just looking at Grissom, trying to size up what has happened. He is still pale, but wants to cry from relief. None of them will ever know how scared he feels right now and the fear he has had for Grissom in the past half hour.

Grissom puts his hands up to quiet everyone. "I'm fine. I'm not hurt. I saw a glove in the water and when I tried to reach it and get it, the current pulled me in and drug me down river so fast that it took a while to get hold of something and get out."

Brass looks Grissom up and down and turns and tells the paramedics who have made it down with the backboard and stretcher to just get him a blanket to warm him up.

"I'm fine guys. Everyone just calm down." Grissom says in his usual nonchalant manner. He reaches over and touches Catherine's arm. He tries to ease her shaking without being obvious to the others. He looks around the group again and then directly into Catherine's eyes. "I'm fine."

He asks about the evidence. Grissom and his all business manner sets right back in. The team tells him that it is all loaded and ready to go back to the lab. Grissom invites Brass to come back to the office for the party. Brass tells them his shift is over in an hour and he will drop by. The team starts to the cars and Grissom whispers to Catherine, "I need to talk to Nick. We'll talk more later. You OK?" Catherine sighs and looks at him. "Well, Gil, you scared me to death. I think in a while I'll get back to breathing normally, but I'd appreciate it if you'd keep your butt out of the river in the future." He gives her his quirky smile and walks over to Nick. Catherine walks on ahead smiling and shaking her head.

"Nicky. You OK?" Grissom looks at Nick closely. "I'm fine Gris. I should be asking you that question." Grissom smiles faintly and says, "I'm cold and irritated, but other than that, I'm fine." Nick looks off in the distance and then shakes his head and begins to walk off angrily. "Yeah, Grissom, and you're always the essence of composure. You weren't even the least bit scared. I'm glad one of us can keep it together in crisis."

Grissom speaks firmly to stop him. "Nick!"

Nick turns to look at him. "When I was going down the river and I was totally out of control of the situation and I knew that none of you had seen me and I had no idea where I'd end up or when……….I was so scared I almost wet my pants. And my crisis was nothing compared to yours."

Nick swallowed hard, nodded his head and said, "Thanks Grissom. I'm glad you're OK."

_Chapter 3_ **Christmas Party: CSI Style**

Grissom sure was glad he'd put some extra clothes in his locker. He had to laugh to himself because Greg had offered to let him wear his Santa hat since his hair was all messed up. Got to love the kid. He is still trying to grasp how upset Nick and Catherine both were. Nick he understood perfectly, but Catherine was really shaken up. He tries to figure out how he'd feel if the tables had been turned and Catherine had been lost. He decides at that moment that he wants to talk to Catherine. He walks into the break room and there are Christmas decorations everywhere. Christmas music is playing and everyone is chatting and laughing with drinks in hand. Greg is running around in his stupid Santa hat. Sara is watching him and laughing. Nick seems to be back at ease and teasing Tina about something while Warrick gives him an "I don't think so" look. Grissom scans the room looking for Catherine. He sees her standing beside the tree watching him. He can't help but smile at her. He walks over to the table, picks up 2 glasses of punch and walks over to her. She takes the punch and tells him that it tastes much better than the egg nog. Grissom laughs and tells her that he thinks Greg spiked the egg nog anyway. The two of them talked quietly and each were wondering what would happen to the team if they realized how deep the feelings went between them.

The music changes to something slow and Warrick whisks Tina out on the floor to slow dance. Greg grabs Sara and drags her out there. She really tries to avoid him and asks Nick to rescue her. Nick was laughing to hard to save her. Grissom watches his team and breathes a sigh of gratefulness that everything turned out OK today. He feels like he's already had a Christmas miracle and feels like today is the day for risk taking. He takes Catherine's hand and leads her to the floor with the others. Cath tries to keep her chin off the floor as she looks at him.

Grissom raises an eyebrow at her and smiles. "Dance with me, Catherine?" She smiles and says in a still awestruck voice, "Sure, Gil." Grissom pulls her to him and holds her tight. Catherine settles in and realizes that even if it is just a rare moment, she wants him to hold her and not let go. She can feel his warmth and his heart beating next to hers. It is the perfect moment until she hears Greg yell out, "You go Grissom!" Grissom just looks at Greg and gives him a stern look and then turns back to Catherine.

"So, have you thought any more about getting Lindsay that puppy for Christmas?" he asks. Catherine sighs and says, "I don't know. She wants one so bad, but they are so much work. Maybe you could talk her into a bug or something." Grissom hesitates and clears his throat. "Actually, I went by the Animal Shelter yesterday and they have the cutest little terrier mix ." Catherine pulls back and looks at Gil. "You did what?" Catherine feels a mixture of joy that he took the time and pure shock that he cared enough to do that. Grissom shrugs, "Every little girl wants a puppy, Catherine. I want to see her face light up. What do you say we leave here, go get that puppy, and I go with you to give it to her. I'd like to see her face." Catherine is blown away. She can't believe what he is saying. She is smiling because she can't contain it, but she can't bring herself to speak. Grissom raises an eyebrow and grins, "We can even take my car." Catherine laughs in spite of herself. "I'm so glad that you want to be a part of Christmas with us Gil. I really, really want you to be there." Grissom smiles, "Then let's go get that puppy." They say their good-byes and walk out to the car. Grissom opens the door to let Catherine in and as she starts to step in he reaches for her. He pulls her to him and kisses her hard. She lets her arms go around his neck and kisses back. When he finishes kissing her, he reaches up and touches her lips. Catherine gets in the car and is so blissfully happy that she could just shout. Who knew Grissom could flirt and be romantic? Catherine decided to go out on a limb and be bold. "You know, Gil. Lindsay goes to bed at 9:00. Mom's going over to stay with her sister tonight because she is sick. Maybe we can……….ummmmm……..do coffee or something once she goes to bed." Grissom looks straight ahead as he drives out of the parking lot. He smiles and says, "Or something sounds quite nice, Catherine. And minus the new puppy too." Catherine laughs and reaches over to take his hand, "Yeah, minus the puppy too." They drive to the animal shelter with a peaceful joy in the air.

Christmas has come early, love is blooming, and gifts don't only come under the tree.

_Merry Christmas!_


End file.
